Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian has shied away from bolstering his team's lineup with big-money signings. Instead, he has turned his attention to completing low-risk, high-reward moves to bring much-needed depth to the roster.
The Angels completed trades for infielder Gio Urshela and outfielder Hunter Renfroe in November. They then came to terms with veteran infielder Brandon Drury on a two-year deal in December. In need of outfield depth, the AL West club opted to sign Brett Phillips to a one-year major league deal earlier this month.
Angels center fielder Mike Trout has been keeping a close watch on the ongoing free agency period. During a conference call on Friday for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Trout took some time to touch on the Angels’ offseason moves, where he gave his stamp of approval to Minasian.
“I think Perry’s done a great job bringing in some pieces that we were missing last year,” Trout said.
The Angels also entered the offseason in dire need of another durable starter for their rotation, and they checked off this goal early in free agency with the signing of Tyler Anderson. The two sides came to terms on a three-year, $39 million deal in November.
In the big picture, the Angels may not be done just yet in making moves this offseason. Minasian did recently note that the club is still “looking at things.”
“We’re still looking at things,” Minasian said. “There are still some areas to improve. It’s not like we’re packing up shop and going on vacation. We're gonna continue to look, whether it's the rotation, the bullpen, the position player group.
“If it's raising the floor with more minor league signings or maybe the trade market, I still think there are ways to improve this club, and we'll examine all those things.”
The Angels have a pivotal season coming up, as they will look to clinch a spot in the postseason for the first time in nine years. They will also aim to secure a winning season — a feat that they have not achieved since the 2015 campaign when they finished with an 85-77 record.
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